Body-treating apparatus



March 2, 1954 H. GdRDoN' 2,670,733

BODY-TREATING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 17. 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR, HarryL Gordon,

HTTQRNEYS.

March 2, 1954 H. L. GORDON BODY-TREATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb; 17, 1953 I N V EN TOR, f/a rr 1/ L Gordon.

March 2, 1954 GORDON 2,670,733

BODY-TREATING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 17, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR, Harry L Gord HTTORNEKS.

Patented Mar. 2, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,670,733 BODY-TREATING APPARATUS Harry L. Gordon, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application February 17, 1953, Serial No. 337,392

11 Claims.

This invention relates to rotary and vibratory massage implements.

One' important object of the invention is to provide a device of'this character wherein flesh contacting elements may be caused to have combined rotary and vibratory effects.

A second important object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind wherein flesh contacting elements may be caused to produce a rubbing effect on the contacted flesh whether With or without vibrating the contacted flesh.

' A third important object of the invention is to provide means whereby a rotary flesh contacting element may be caused to contact at this degree of pressure. I

A fourth important object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind having a. flexible cup carrying rigid flesh contacting means attached to the cup in such manner as to yield companying drawings, and particularly claimed- In the accompanying drawings, like characters of reference indicate like parts, and:

4 Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved massage implement.

Fig. 2'is a plan View thereof.

Fig. 3 is a section, partly in elevation, on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

- Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a section on the line '!'I of Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 3.

In the form of the invention here shown there is provided a circular housing indicated in general at ill and having a lower portion provided with a side wall I I and an upper portion provided vided with an outstanding flange l4.

At I5 is a plate having radiating arms is and having a central opening I! acros which extends a bar it. This plate if fixed to a flange l9 formed on a cylindrical member provided with an inturned flange 2| wherewith the flange I4 is engageable. On the plate I4 is mounted a segmento spherioal dome 22 having a peripheral flange 23 whereby it is connected to the plate I4.

This dome has an opening 24 wherein is fitted one end of an exhaust pipe 25 adapted to be connected to a suitable means for producing air pressure, air exhaust, or vibratory air impulses.

5 A device for thus controlling the air is shown in my copending application for Patent No.

337,391 executed and filed of even date herewith.

The wall II has an inturned flange 26 at its lower edge and secured to this flange is a plate 21 10 open at its central portion and provided with an upturned cylindrical flange 23 at the edge of the said opening.

At 29 is a hanger having an upwardly extending reduced top end 30, which projects through 15 a suitable opening in the bar IS. The lower end 1 of this hanger is laterally enlarged as at 3| and extends through the bottom of a yoke member 32.

-' At 33 is a cup supporting plate having a central opening 34 and through this opening extends a cylindrical member 34. Securedto'the underside of the plate 2'! is an inwardly'facing channel 35. The plate 33 has an upwardly extending gear member 36 and the upper part'of 5 this gear member is provided with an outwardly extending flange 31, which rests'in the channel member in such manner that a slight vibration of the plate 33 relative to the housing 10 'is permitted. A cup of inverted form 38 has its minor 3 end carried by the plate 33. Through the opening 34 extends a cylindrical member 39 having A an outwardly extending flang 40 at its lower-end and peripherally supported-by the flange 49 is the upper end of a conoidal elastic cup 4|. Springs 42 have their upper ends connected. to the yoke 32 and their lower ends are connected to the ends of the expanded head 3! of the hanger 29. By this means a certain amount of play is-permitted to the cup 4! relative to the plate 33. -The upper and lower parts of the cylindrical gear'member 35 are. connected by vertical channel shaped teeth 43 at best shown in Fig. 4.

From the housing H3 extends a motor support 44 v wherein is carried an electric motor 45. This motor has a shaft 46 whereon is mounted a star wheel 4'! having radial pin-like arms 48 engaging between the tooth members 43. Attached to v the lower edge portion of the cup 35 is a series of stiff hard rubber fingers 49, the flexibility of the cup 35 permitting thes members 43 to assume various positions when in contact with the flesh of the user. It is to be observed that the teeth 43 are of such length as to permit the movement of the plate 33 as previously described and this without eifecting the engagement of the pin teeth 48 with the gear'teeth 4a.

In the use of this invention, the pipe 25 is suitably connected to the source of air supply and control and the members 49 are applied to that part of the flesh to be massaged. When the motor circuit is closed by a suitable switch (not shown) the cup 38 and the members 49 will be rapidly revolved. Unless the air connection is arranged to change the air pressure in the pipe 25, there will be no vertical oscillation of the parts 44. When, however, steady air pressure is applied through the pipe 45 the cup 4! will be forced down until it engages with the flesh and thus pressure will be exerted on the area around which move the fingers 49. Now by utilization of oscillatory air pressure, this pressure of the cup 4| on the flesh may be rapidly alternated in effect. Also, because of the yielding of the cup 35, if the whole device is pressed very firmly down, the fingers 48 will move until both of the cups 35 and 4| engage the flesh.

It will be noted from my co-pending patent above mentioned that the air used in the massaging operation may be hot air if so desired.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of this invention without departing from the material principles thereof. It is not therefore desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is wished to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a massaging device, a housing, a plate rotatably attached to the under side of the housing and having a centrally disposed opening, a longitudinally reciprocable member extending .through said opening, a massage cup carried by the lower end of the reciprocable member, an air dome having communication with the top of the housing, and means for connecting an air supply pipe to said dome.

2. In a massaging device, a housing, a plate rotatably attached to the under side of the housing and having a centrally disposed opening, a longitudinally reciprocable member extending through said opening, a massage cup carried by the lower end of the reciprocable member, an air dome having communication with the top of the housing, means for connecting an air supply pipe to said dome, and yieldable means normally holding said cup in raised position.

3. In a massaging device, a housing, a plate rotatably attached to the under side of the housing and having a centrally disposed opening, a

longitudinally reciprocable member extending through said opening, a massage cup carried by the lower end of the reciprocable member, an air dome having communication with the top of the housing, means for connecting an air supply pipe to said dome, and springs having their upper ends positioned fixedly within the housing and their lower ends connected to said reciprocable member.

4. In a massaging device, a housing, a plate rotatably attached to the under side of the housing and having a centrally disposed opening, a longitudinally reciprocable member extending through said opening, a massage cup carried by the lower end of the reciprocable member, an air dome having communication with the top of the housing, means for connecting an air supply pipe to said dome, and means to rotate said plate and an outer flexible massage cap carried by the plate and surrounding the first cup.

5. In a massaging device, a housing, a plate rotatably attached to the under side of the housing and having a, centrally disposed opening, a. longitudinally reciprocable member extending through said opening, a massage cup carried by the lower end of the reciprocable member, an air dome having communication with the top of the housing, means for connecting an air supply pipe to said dome, springs having their upper ends positioned fixedly within the housing and their lower ends connected to said reciprocable member, and means to rotate said plate and an outer flexible massage cap carried by the plate and surrounding the first cup.

6. In a massaging device, a housing, a plate rotatably attached to the under side of the housing and having a centrally disposed opening, a longitudinally reciprocable member extending through said opening, a massage cup carried by the lower end of the reciprocable member, an air dome having communication with the top of the housing, an outer flexible massage cup carried by said plate and surrounding the first cup, and electric motor means rotating said plate.

'7. In a massaging device, a housing, a plate rotatably attached to the under side of the housing and having a centrally disposed opening, a longitudinally reciprocable member extending through said opening, a massage cup carried by the lower end of the reciprocable member, an air dome having communication with the top of the housing, mean for connecting an air suppl pipe to said dome, an outer flexible massag cup carried by said plate and surrounding the first cup and electric motor means rotating said plate.

8. In a massaging device, a housing, a plate rotatably attached to the under side of the housing and having a centrally disposed opening, a longitudinally reciprocable member extending through said opening, a massage cup carried by the lower end of the reciprocable member, an air dome having communication with the top of the housing, an outer flexible massage cup carried by said plate and surrounding th first cup, a ring gear carried by the plate and surrounding the reciprooable member, a bracket extending laterally from the housing, an electric motor supported by the bracket, and a spur gear driven by the motor and meshing with the ring gear.

9. In a massaging device, a housing, a plate rotatably attached to the under side of the housing and having a centrally disposed opening, and longitudinally reciprocable member extending through said opening, a massage cup carried by the lower end of the reciprocable member, an air dome having communication with the top of the housing, an outer fiexible massage cup carried by said plate and surrounding the first cup, a ring gear carried by the plate and surrounding the reciprocable member, a. bracket extending latorally from the housing, an electric motor supported by th bracket, and a spur gear driven by the motor and meshing with the ring gear, means for connecting an air supply pipe to said dome.

10. In a massaging device, a housing, a plate rotatably attached to the under side of the housing and having a centrally disposed opening, a longitudinally reciprccable member extending through said opening, a massage cup carried by the lower end of the reciprocable member, an air dome having communication with the top of the housing, an outer flexible massage cup carried by said plate and surrounding the first cup, a ring gear carried by the plate and surrounding the reciprocable member, a bracket extending laterally from the housing, an electric motor supported .by

the bracket, a spur gear driven by the motor and meshing with the ring gear, and inflexible flesh engaging fingers carried by and projecting downwardly and outwardly from the lower edge of the outer cup.

11. In a massaging device, a housing, a plate v rotatably attached to the under side of the housing and having a centrally disposed opening, and longitudinally reciprocable member extending through said opening, a massage cup carried by the lower end of the reoiprocable member, an air dome having communication with the top of the housing, an outer flexible massage cup carried by said plate and. surrounding th first cup, a ring gear carried by the plate and surrounding the reciprocable member, a bracket extending laterally from the housing, an electric motor supported by the bracket, and a spur gear driven by the motor and meshing with the ring gear, inflexible flesh engaging fingers carried by and projecting downwardly and outwardly from the lower edge of the outer cup, and means for connecting an air supply pipe to said dome.

HARRY L. GORDON.

No references cited. 

